Large Vintage Wood Industrial Thing w/ Decorative Metal Corner Reinforcements

[MilitariaCollector]

Does anyone know what this may have been used for, or perhaps have seen a similar one? It appears to be a vintage wood storage bin/drawer. The front has alphanumeric code on it and a place to slide a tag or paper to identify what was inside. I forgot to measure it, but I think it was about 18 “ long x 12” wide x 10” high. The interesting aspects of this item are the decorative metal corner reinforcements and the patina. I believe this either has a heavy patina from use, or perhaps was treated with something like creosote to protect the wood. Anyhow, I believe it had an industrial purpose, perhaps to hold hardware, parts, etc. Any ideas?

 

[Retired Sarge]

Looks almost like it was military used. Seeing how we love to mark everything with a number for tracking purposes.

 

[trdking]

Its a file box to hold a specific mold. Thus the reference number. I have some of the actual molds somewhere. If I can hunt them down I will take photos. They have the same types of numbers

 

[trdking]

These are molds for light weight steel fabrication..

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Could we also get a pic of the bottom of your piece? The base of your box will help tell us how and possibly where it was made.
I'm trying to determine the age based on the hardware, you've got a 'mixture of different ages' on this piece.
I've never seen metal side braces like those before.

If it was designed for military use/ transport, wouldn't there be handles incorporated into it somehow?
I'm not see military though, it's more likely to be from an early manufacturing environment.
Can you also tell us what part of the country you found this in?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Gambrinus]

My wild guess is a reusable shipping container from a train.

 

[trdking]

Could we also get a pic of the bottom of your piece? The base of your box will help tell us how and possibly where it was made.
I'm trying to determine the age based on the hardware, you've got a 'mixture of different ages' on this piece.
I've never seen metal side braces like those before.

If it was designed for military use/ transport, wouldn't there be handles incorporated into it somehow?
I'm not see military though, it's more likely to be from an early manufacturing environment.
Can you also tell us what part of the country you found this in?

Thanks,
Dave

I saw a box very similar to this where I bought the wooden form / molds It was purchased and being carted off when I was walking up. The wood forms I purchased are marked US Steel and have numbers very similar to this box.

 

[chetler]

A few years ago, I bought some surplus military radio test equipment and some of the test gear was in boxes identical to this. With that, I am going to “second” the idea that it may be military.

 

[trdking]

For all we know, US Steel and other industrial companies could have taken advantage of Military surplus for their storage needs. Who knows? Many companies were formed off of surplus from the government.

 

[MilitariaCollector]

Thanks for all the comments. This box was found in Florida, although it could have come from
somewhere else, as I bought it from a picker. Anyhow, I cannot send a photo of the bottom though, as I sold it at a flea market on Monday. I was just hoping to find out more about it before selling it. Thanks again!